10 Greatest Hard Rock Guitarists Of The '90s
1. Dimebag Darrell - Pantera
Metal started off with a hell of a bang at the start of the '90s, with thrash first starting to conquer the mainstream. However, as the decade wore on, bands like Megadeth and Metallica were finding it harder to compete with the sounds of grunge and nu metal. Amid all the legends, Pantera blazed through the scene with a sound as meaty as a prime rib steak.
Though the band will always been known as a collective endeavor, the true heart of the group was Dimebag Darrell Abbott, whose expression on his instrument was absolutely jaw-dropping. Blending everything from fusion to blues riffing, the man took every single complex element of the guitar and weaved it into a unique blend of heavy beauty. With his brother Vinnie Paul pounding away on the drums, the band hit on a sound that took the boogie of Texas Swing and brought it into the mosh pit.
On both the lead and rhythm side, Dimebag was amazing, with to-the-point riffs on songs like "Walk" being rounded out on the other side by the colossal lead break of "Floods." Combined with his fun-loving attitude and love of life, Dimebag was one of hard rock's true legends who could put more emotion into three notes than most could put on an entire record.